Page:Cartoon portraits and biographical sketches of men of the day.djvu/22



Charles Robert Darwin, Fellow of the Royal Society, was born at Shrewsbury, February 12, 1809. He is the son of Dr. Robert Waring Darwin, F.R.S. He received his preparatory training at Shrewsbury School (under the care of Dr. Butler) and at Edinburgh, finally proceeding to the University of Cambridge, where he took his B.A. degree in 1831. The great naturalist comes of a distinguished stock. His grandfather on the mother's side was Josiah Wedgwood, the father of the Staffordshire art-pottery manufacture. On the father's side his grandsire was Dr. Erasmus Darwin, author of 'Zoonomia;' and it is somewhat curious that Mr. Darwin's father and both his grandfathers were Fellows of the Royal Society. He married in 1839 his cousin, Miss Wedgwood. His first work of importance to scientific knowledge was undertaken in connection with the surveying voyage of H.M.S. Beagle. The vessel was commanded by Captain Fitzroy, R.N., who offered a berth to any naturalist who would accompany him. Darwin volunteered, and was accepted. The Beagle left the shores of England in December, 1831; and, after an absence of nearly five years, she returned in October, 1836. The cruise was of a very extensive character South America, Australia, and New Zealand, the Mauritius, and the Pacific Islands being visited in turn. About three years after the return of the Beagle from her voyage round the world, Darwin published his account of what he had seen his volume being part of Captain Fitzroy's narrative of this voyage, subsequently reproduced under the title of 'Journal of Researches into the Natural History and Geology of the Countries visited during the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the World.' The other principal works of this eminent savant are, 'Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle;' 'The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs,' 1842; 'Geological Observations on Volcanic Islands,' 1845; and 'On South America,' 1846.

Darwin's great book on, the 'Origin of Species by means of Natural